64 Journal of Sugarcane Research (2019) 9 (1) : 64 - 70 RESEARCH ARTICLE INTERCROPPING STUDIES IN PRE-SEASONAL AND SEASONAL SUGARCANE B.Y. Kongawad*, V.C. Patil and A.M. Jambagi Abstract Field experiments were conducted at KIAAR Sameerwadi, Tal: Mudhol, Dist: Bagalkot, Karnataka, during 2017-19, to study the effect of different wide row spacings and intercrops on growth, yield and quality of sugarcane. The experiments consisted of three wide row spacings i.e. 1.2 m x 0.5 m, 1.8 m x 0.5 m and 2.4 m x 0.5 m and seven intercrops namely beet root, cabbage, knol khol, Japanese mint, French bean, garlic and sweet potato in pre-seasonal planting and four intercrops namely onion, ridge guard, cucumber and fenugreek in seasonal planting. The cane yield was significantly higher at 1.2 m x 0.5 m in pre seasonal (233.14 t/ha) and seasonal sugarcane (124.86 t/ha), respectively. Higher gross and net income of Rs.2,70,975 /ha and Rs.1,93,060 /ha was realized by French bean intercropped with pre-seasonal sugarcane planted at a spacing of 1.8 m x 0.5 m. Higher gross income of Rs.2,05,493 /ha and net income of Rs.1,85,248/ha was realized by cucumber intercropped with seasonal sugarcane planted at a spacing of 1.2 m x 0.5 m. Key words: Intercropping, wide row spacing, sugarcane Introduction The major objectives of intercropping are to produce an additional crop, to optimize the use Sugarcane occupies an important position in of natural resources and to stabilize the yield of Indian agriculture and plays a pivotal role in crops (Willey 1979). The space available between national economy by sustaining the second largest the wide rowsof sugarcane crop can be suitably organized agro industry in the country next to used for growing inter crops for increasing the textile. Much of the space between two rows of total production per unit area (Nadiger et al. sugarcane remains unutilized for an initial period of 2018). Nadiger et al. (2017) obtained higher net 100-120 days, because of its slow growth. Planting income of Rs.2,09,745 per ha from sugarcane (at cane in wide rows helps in mechanization of field a row spacing of 1.2 m) intercropped with onion operations such as inter cultivation, aftercare and than green peas (Rs.1,68,192 per ha) and soybean harvesting, as well as adopting intercropping that (Rs.1,67,755 per ha). Keeping above facts in not only increases the efficiency but also results in view, an investigation was carried out to study the reducing the cost of production and increasing the effect of inter cropping in sugarcane with different profitability of the cropping system (Chogatapur et row spacings for intensification of production in al. 2018). Wide row spacing leads to higher yield sugarcane farming. and net returns and reduced cost of cultivation (Rajula Shanthy and Muthusamy 2012).Due to the Materials and Methods wide row spacing and initial slow growth rate of Two field experiments were conducted at K. sugarcane, there is ample scope for intercropping J. Somaiya Institute of Applied Agricultural in sugarcane. Research (KIAAR), Sameerwadi, (Taluk: B.Y. Kongawad, V.C. Patil and A.M. Jambagi The K.J. Somaiya Institute of Applied Agricultural Research (KIAAR), Sameerwadi – 587 316, Tal: Mudhol, Dist: Bagalkot, Karnataka, India. *Corresponding author: [email protected] Journal of Sugarcane Research (2019) 9 (1) : 64 - 70 65 Mudhol, Dist: Bagalkot, Karnataka) which applied based on soil test values for a target yield is located at 16° 19ꞌ N latitude and 75° 69ꞌ E of 250 t/ha (664:263:265 N, P2O5 and K2O kg/ha longitude and at an altitude of 541 m above mean and 677:258:238 N,P2O5 and K2O kg/ha) for pre sea level. KIAAR, Sameerwadi comes under seasonal and seasonal planting, respectively along northern dry zone of Karnataka (Zone no.3). The with 5 t/ha of vermi-compost applied at the time soil of the experimental field contained 187.5 kg/ of planting. The recommended doses of fertilizers ha of available nitrogen; 22.05 kg/ha of available were applied to the intercrops. At the time of phosphorus; and 364 kg/ha of available potassium. sowing, 50 per cent of the total nitrogen and full The average annual rainfall of the area is 560 mm, dose of phosphorus and potash were applied in but during November 2017 to February 2019 a furrows by mixing with the soil and remaining rainfall of 336.7 mm was received. 50 per cent nitrogen was top dressed at 30 days aftersowing. The experiments were laid out in split plot design with three replications. The main plots consisted Results and Discussion of three row spacings i.e. 1.2 m, 1.8 m and 2.4 Pre-seasonal sugarcane m and sub plots consisted of seven intercrops namelybeetroot, cabbage, sweet potato, knol Significantly higher cane yield was observed in 1.2 khol, Japanese mint, garlic and French bean in m x 0.5 m row spacing (233.14 t/ha) as compared preseasonal and four intercrops namely onion, to 1.8 m x 0.5 m (150.59 t/ha) and 2.4 m x 0.5 ridge guard, cucumber and fenugreek in seasonal m (131.66 t/ha) spacing (Table 1). Significantly sugarcane planting. The crop was planted on higher CCS yield was observed in 1.2 m x 0.5 m 30th November 2017 and 10th February 2018 and row spacing (32.68 t/ha) as compared to 1.8 m x harvested on 29th January 2019 and 9th February 0.5 m (21.67 t/ha) and 2.4 m x 0.5 m (18.80 t/ha) 2019 in pre seasonal and in seasonal planting, spacing (Table 2). respectively. Plot size was 36 sq. m. in both the Higher yield of intercrops was observed in 1.8 seasons. 45 days old single eye bud settlings m x 0.5 m spacing as compared to 1.2 m x 0.5 were planted in both the seasons. Fertilizers were Table 1. Effect of intercropping on sugarcane yield (t/ha) in pre-seasonal Sugarcane Sweet Japanese French Mean Treatments Beetroot Cabbage Knolkhol Garlic Check potato mint bean A 1.2 m x 0.5 m 225.78 244.73 220.90 254.79 217.49 225.46 235.02 240.94 233.14 1.8 m x 0.5 m 151.08 128.55 140.29 144.48 180.73 155.33 153.94 150.28 150.59 2.4 m x 0.5 m 156.47 161.74 102.55 141.86 129.84 124.04 116.08 120.73 131.66 Mean B 177.78 178.34 154.58 180.38 176.02 168.28 168.35 170.65 Factors SE(m) C.D. Factor(A) 4.25 17.11 Factor(B) 9.37 NS Factor(A)at same level of B 15.76 NS 66 Journal of Sugarcane Research (2019) 9 (1) : 64 - 70 Table 2. Effect of intercropping on CCS yield (t/ha)in pre-seasonal sugarcane Sweet Japanese French Mean Treatments Beetroot Cabbage Knolkhol Garlic Check potato mint bean A 1.2 m x 0.5 m 31.11 33.29 31.62 36.81 30.57 32.39 32.41 33.24 32.68 1.8 m x 0.5 m 21.86 18.16 20.3 21.44 25.93 21.83 22.36 21.48 21.67 2.4 m x 0.5 m 23.15 21.87 15.03 20.34 18.53 17.45 16.25 17.8 18.80 Mean B 25.37 24.44 22.32 26.2 25.01 23.89 23.68 24.17 Factors SE(m) C.D. Factor(A) 0.74 2.98 Factor(B) 1.24 NS Factor(A)at same level of B 2.14 NS Table 3. Yield of intercrops (t/ha) in pre-seasonal sugarcane Sweet Japanese French Treatments Beetroot Cabbage Knolkhol Garlic potato mint bean 1.2 m x 0.5 m 21.38 31.94 2.18 74.81 6.37 1.22 7.87 1.8 m x 0.5 m 22.96 35.18 3.05 75.46 6.82 1.19 8.61 2.4 m x 0.5 m 18.88 24.77 2.32 65.27 6.42 1.04 8.24 Mean B 21.07 30.63 2.51 71.85 6.54 1.15 8.24 Factors SE(m) C.D. Factor(A) 0.35 1.438 Factor(B) 0.62 1.79 m and 2.4 m x 0.5 m spacing. Highest yield was Seasonal sugarcane recorded by knol khol (75.46 t/ha) intercropped Sugarcane yield was significantly higher in 1.2 m with sugarcane planted at 1.8 m x 0.5 m spacing x 0.5 m row spacing (124.86 t/ha) as compared followed by cabbage (35.18 t/ha). Lowest yield to 1.8 m x 0.5 m (93.11 t/ha) and 2.4 m x 0.5 m was recorded in garlic intercrop (1.19 t/ha) at 2.4 (59.40 t/ha) spacing. Higher cane yield (104.18 t/ m x 0.5 m spacing (Table 3). ha) was recorded in sugarcane intercropped with Higher gross income of Rs.2,70,975 /ha was onion as compared to the other intercrops (Table realized by French bean intercropped with 6).